WARNING: the following contains spoilers for Love of Kill Episode 9, "A War Trigger," now streaming on Crunchyroll.
Chateau's journey aboard the Artemisia came to an early stop in recent Love of Kill episodes, with Ryang-Ha's enemies nearly killing Euripedes Ritzler and demanding that Chateau hand over Ryang-Ha. Now, Ryang-Ha is in the hand of his former mentor, Mr. Donny. But all is not as it seems
As Chateau rushes to rescue her obnoxious but caring friend, Ryang-Ha Song meets Mr. Donny as a captive, and the truth comes out -- that this fellow is not the original Ryang-Ha Song, but an imitation. The real Ryang-Ha Song is dead, and this deepens the mystery of "Ryang-Ha" and Chateau's past even more.
Ryang-Ha Song came face-to-face with Mr. Donny, and according to the latter, this is their first-ever meeting. The flashbacks in recent Love of Kill episodes between Mr. Donny and Ryang-Ha evidently depicted not this Ryang-Ha, but the previous one. The one whom Mr. Donny had actually raised and trained as a young assassin. Further flashbacks in Episode 9 actually showed the two Ryang-Has together in the same car that carried the young Chateau Noble. But while the real Ryang-Ha gave his name while driving the car, the false one didn't give a name at all. Love of Kill has not yet revealed the real name or origins of Chateau's yandere lover, but it is clear that "Ryang-Ha Song" is simply an identity that he stole, including all the paperwork. For all intents and purposes, he is Ryang-Ha, and the original is long gone.
Ryang-Ha escaped captivity and fled into the forest before Mr. Donny can do much else with him, leaving it a mystery as to what Mr. Donny wants with this imposter Ryang-Ha Song. Perhaps he intended to torture information out of the false Ryang-Ha, or at least demand to know why this Ryang-Ha killed the original. Most likely, the answers Ryang-Ha would have given would have concerned the young Chateau Dankworth. It's likely that the imposter Ryang-Ha shot the real one to rescue Chateau, but that raises many questions as it does answers.
The mystery of Chateau's personal background and Ryang-Ha's role in it becomes clearer with each episode, but Love of Kill has not revealed all of its secrets. Based on Episode 9's newest revelations, Mr. Donny had sent the original Ryang-Ha Song to transport Chateau by car, with the fake Ryang-Ha in the front passenger seat, until the fake shot the real Ryang-Ha on a remote road. He then left Chateau in the back, where the Dankworths found her before adopting her. Then, about 17 years later, the imposter Ryang-Ha found Chateau Dankworth and began operating as her self-appointed protector and ally, such as during their battle against the vengeful Hou. In the past and present alike, the imposter Ryang-Ha wanted to protect Chateau from Mr. Donny and his men, but some unanswered questions linger.
Love of Kill has not yet revealed why Mr. Donny sent the original Ryang-Ha to obtain Chateau. Though given the imposter's actions, it's likely that Mr. Donny had ill intentions with the young Chateau, so it fell to the imposter Ryang-Ha to protect her. These relations also don't answer the question of how the fake Ryang-Ha ended up in contact with the real one, or where the imposter came from. It's also not clear if the imposter Ryang-Ha has genuine affection for Chateau, as he claims, or if he is merely fulfilling his duty and is putting on an act. If it's the latter, the imposter Ryang-Ha may be acting to shield Chateau from the truth, hoping that Chateau will take his false love at face value. There are definitely a few things the imposter Ryang-Ha doesn't want Chateau Dankworth to know yet -- or at all. This may be a serious factor in their budding relationship going forward, and soon, Chateau may drop all pretenses and demand the whole truth, whether or not Ryang-Ha is ready to deliver it.
